Award-winning local ecotourism
specialists delivering world-class
wildlife experiences
NT Bird Specialists is owned and operated by Luke Paterson and Sarah Burgess. We are based in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, where the majority of our tours depart from. As Darwin’s local award-winning wildlife and photography tour operation we pride ourselves on providing a wealth of intimate local knowledge and breath-taking natural experiences in the ‘Top End’ of the Northern Territory.
Our specialist bird guide Luke Paterson holds incredible birding skills, acute sight and hearing and excellence in customer service and satisfaction, making him one of Australia's best bird guides and tour operators.
“We have a united passion and experience in working for sustainable tourism businesses and conservation projects, which has led us to work across Southern, Central, Western and Northern Australia and South East Asia. We believe the best way to show case the rich natural and cultural diversity of the ‘Top End’, is to deliver high quality guiding, service and interpretation during exceptional tours of the environments we love. We are an Australian Accredited Tourism Business holding all current permits, licences and insurances required to operate tours in the Northern Territory, so we can conduct safe, ethical and memorable tours for you. We look forward to welcoming you as our guest to the Northern Territory and to share the passion that our fine selection of feathered friends bring.”
Team Members
Luke Paterson, Australian Birdwatching & Photography Guide
Specialist Birdwatching Guide / Photography Guide, Tour Director, Tour Leader (International tours)
Sarah Burgess, Ecotourism Specialist
Tour Director, Tour Leader (International tours)
John Gitsham, Australian Birdwatching & Photography Guide
Specialist Birdwatching Guide / Photography Guide & Naturalist Educator
Our Tour Options
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Borneo Birding & Wildlife Tour: Hornbills, Trogons & Orangutans
Borneo is a naturalist’s dream & a breathtaking destination for NT Bird Specialists’ guests to experience incredible accessible birding & mammal viewing in style.
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9 Day Australian Outback Birdwatching Tour, Darwin (NT) to Mount Isa (QLD)
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10 Day Ultimate Top End Birding Adventure Tour
NT Bird Specialists’ ‘Ultimate Top End Birding Adventure’ tour discovers some of the most remote and impressive landscapes and targeted bird and wildlife species in one fowl swoop!
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7 Day North Australian Finch Frenzy Tour
Join NT Bird Specialists on a Grass ’Finch Frenzy’ of the best birding sites for Gouldian Finch, Star Finch, Pictorella Mannikin and up to 200 bird species spanning the Top End, Northern Territory. Start & finish in Darwin.
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Wild Kakadu Nature Photography Expedition
Join our exclusive photographic expedition through the heart of Crocodile Dundee country. Special offers available.
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Photographic Workshop: Top End Birds & Wildlife Immersion
Join our breath-taking bird & wildlife photography workshop with Luke Paterson & Jay Collier in Kakadu’s World Heritage sites. Limited availability. 2 Expert Tour leaders. Special offers available.
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5 Day Top End-Kakadu Birding, Wildlife & Nature Tour
Our 5 day ‘Top End Birding & Wildlife Experience’ provides fantastic chances to view many Top End specialty birds and wildlife, including Banded-fruit Dove (endemic), Rainbow Pitta, Hooded Parrot (endemic), Gouldian Finch and many waterbirds.
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15 Day Sri Lankan Birdwatching & Wildlife Tour
Join NT Bird Specialists on a 15 day Wildlife Adventure through the biodiverse and culturally rich lands of Sri Lanka in March 2024 and 2025. ‘Immerse yourself in World Heritage wilderness and ancient cultural sites while searching for unique and endemic birds and wildlife off the beaten track. Sri Lanka – the Wonder of Asia, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.’
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8 Day Tropical Outback Bird Photography Tour
Embark on our 8 Day ‘Tropical Outback’ Bird Photography Tour to photograph an incredible range of colourful and unique northern Australian birds and wildlife in beautiful landscapes.
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4 Day Kakadu Birdwatching Tour ‘Djakarna Jaunt’
Our 4 day Kakadu Birdwatching tour ‘Djakarna Jaunt’ explores a 1200 kilometre circuit along the Arnhem, Kakadu and Stuart Highways, in the Top End of the Northern Territory.
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4 Day East Kimberley Bird Photography Tour
Join our tantalising bird photography adventure in the East Kimberley. Photograph finches, local speciality birds and reptiles in gorgeous boab-clad landscapes with million star astro views.
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2 Day Pine Creek Birdwatching Tour ‘Parrot and Finch Paradise’
10 species of parrots, including the (locally endemic) Hooded Parrot, Red-winged Parrot, Cockatiel and Northern Rosella, rightfully makes the historic gold mining and railway township of Pine Creek the ‘Top End’s home of parrots’.
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1 Day Kakadu Birdwatching Tours
Our 1 day Kakadu bird watching tours start and finish in the heart of the World Heritage Kakadu National Park.
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1 Day Darwin Birdwatching Tour ‘Sticky Beak’
Darwin’s urban landscapes retain an array of habitats for birds and wildlife to flourish in.
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1 Day Wild Kakadu Wildlife & Rock Art Tour
Only have a day or two to spare? Join our 1 Day Wild Kakadu Wildlife & Rock Art tour for a glimpse of the World Heritage wildlife and rock art at home amongst the mighty South Alligator floodplains and Ubirr rock art sites adjacent to the East Alligator River.
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Kakadu Bird Week Tours 2025
Get a fantastic taste of Kakadu’s birding highlights when Luke guides you to the best sites during Kakadu Bird Week 2024. Enquire and book Kakadu Bird Week tours today [email protected]
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